Typewriting machine



May 21, 1929. w. P. KIDDER 1,713,607

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 21,1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

WELLINGTON P. RIDDER, F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ROCHESTER IN- DUSTRIES, INC., OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

Application filed May 28,

My invention relates to improvements in that form of typewriting machines having end t-hrust type bars. One object of my invention is to combine toggle joint leverage pressure with impact lto vreduce noise, as compared with the ordinary hammer blow of ordinary machines. Another object is to provide a more effective kick back for quickly returning the type to position of rest upon release of keys. A further object is to provide a laterally central and more exact register of shift positions of carriage especially when f imprint very quickly follows shift.

To these andv other ends the invention resides incertain improvements Yand combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, theV novel features being pointedV out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the specification, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, the designating numerals on which refer to corresponding parts throughout.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents an assembled side elevation of a machine embodying the invention partly in section through line A-A in Fig. 2 showing typebar act-ion in normal position of rest, and the carriage in lower position for Writing the lower case letters.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine.

Figure 3 is a side elevation in section sim` ilar to that in Fig. 1 exceptwith a type bar `forward to impression position and carriage raised to capital shift position. Y

Figure 4 v is -a side elevation in section through line A-A of Figure 2 showing deytail of carriage in upper or figure shift position. f

Figure 5 is a rear elevation detail of parts of my central shift stops.

Figure 6 is a plan of Figure 5. v

Figure 7 is an end elevation partly in section through line A-A of Figure 5.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts. Other parts of a writing machine are so well known that they are shown only in so far as needed to make the construction Yand operation ofl my novel features understood.

In my invention the'type heads are radially mounted and rest by gravity ona horizontal flat plate guide, common to them all, the direction of motion of each, converging to a 1924. Serial No. 716,492.

common printing point, laterally guided at the printing point by two pairs of side guides diverting angles of approach to a direct right angle pressure of each type face against the paper. l

The actuating mechanism of each type bar is laterally within and between the planes of the two sides of the'type heads, thereby mininiizing thev lateral space occupied and consequently the length of type bar. stroke required. By this arrangement the outside dimensions of the machine are brought'within very small compass, and provided With'extremely quick and easy key action. Embracing extreme simplicity, a further major advantage is in permanency of alignment..

Referring to the drawings, 3` represents thetwo main side frames, 4 the rear cross member, 5 the intermediate cross member and 6 the front cross member, each preferably L- shape as indicated, the latter cross member adjacent to the key board. These frame parts are riveted or spot welded together, substantially integral.

On cross members 5 and'6, a radially slotted horizontal plate, 7, is attached by screws, 8.

The radial slots, 9, (Fig. 2), preferably 28 in number, are equi-distant apart, each one in converging alignment with a common center, 10, at the printing point surface of the platen roll 12, the latter mounted in a vertically shiftable carriage to be later described.

Suspended horizontally and parallel under the radial plate,7, held separated by four distance collars, 13 and 14, and clamped by four screws, 15 and 16, is provided a second radial plate, 17, with corresponding slots in vertical alignment and parallel with slots, 9, of plate 7. Screw heads, 15A of the two screws, 15, are elongated'downward to receive a horizontal curved pivot rod, 19, in the arc ofa radius to the common center, 10.

Secured by four screws, 20, tapped in plate, 7, a hardened flat plate, 21, is laid on platev 7, on which the type heads, 22, of the type bars, 23, rest by gravity and slide to the printing point. 10, from position-shown in Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 3, one pair of the side guides, 24 and 25 is securedto plate 21 by thef same foury screws, 20, through plate 21v and tapped ,r

in plate 7. A corresponding upper pair, 26, of side guides, vertically over the lower-ones at the printing point, is mountedon upright post 27, also -fast toplate 21 by the screws,

20, being an integral extension of the guide 25. Y

To the front end of each of the type bars, 23, is pivotally connected at 28 a swinging bell crank lever, 29, laterally guided in a slot of the radial plate, 7, and also in a companion slot directlybeneath it in plate, 17, the lower end of the bell crank lever, 29, pivot-ally mounted on'the curved pivot rod, 19. Pivotally connected to one arm of the bell crank 29 at 39,' is provided a link, 30A, its lower end pivot-ally connected at 30B to a key lever, 31, pivotally connected at its rear end on a pivot rod, 32, secured in twobrackets b3 and 34, fast to rear cross member, 4, of the frame. The front end of the key lever is provided with an ordinary linger key, 31A.

Preferably, 28 k-ey levers and keys with 28 corresponding links, bell cranklevers and type bars, with three type characters on the rear end of each typel hai', printing 84 characters, with double vertical shilt of carriage, are

` preferred.

On the bellcrank endof veach bell crank actuating. lever 29, is provided a ledge, 29A, which upon approaching position shown in Fig. 3, contacts with a tliin elastic curved metal wire rail, 36, the plan of which is shown in Fig. 2. The ends of this rail are secured at 36A and 36B, in a rocker shaft, 37, mounted on pivots, 37A and 87B, fast in the side frames, 8. On this rocker shaft is secured one end of a lever, 38, to the opopsitefree end of which is pivotally mounted one end of a pull spring 39, 'its opposite end acliored to .a stud 40, fast in one of the side frames, 3.

In normal position of rest, with rail in its upper positionsliown in Fig. l, the spring` pull is nearly in alignment with. center of rocker shaft, offering slight resistance or shock to contact of ledge, 29A, but with prog.- ress of downward motion of rail, the direction of spring pull acts on an increasing and consequently lengthening of leverage of lever, 38, as shown in 3, thereby insuring a quick vand powerful kick Lack or return of the ledge-foriiied lever, with its pivoted type bai, to normal, upon release of its key, formingone important feature of my invention.

Fastto rocker shaft 37 at 38j is `placed a duplicate of lever 38 pivotally connected with rearwardly extending link 38B for actuating any convenient form of escapeinent mechanism forjthe carriage and for a ribbon feed, too common in other writing machines to need further reference. r

I preferably support the paper carriage on an ordinary ball bearing racc way, the forward member, 4l, of which, having both a vertical and longitudinal'movement carrying the plat-en, 12, feed roll, 43, and other ordinary parts of a. paper carriage, too well known for further reference.

The rear supportingmember, 45, is provided with movement in a vertical plane only,

ktapped in base member 4,

pivotally supported on two pivots, 46 and 46A, at the rear ends of a pair of shift key levers, 47, and 47A, fast on a rocker shaft, 48, pivoted at either end on studs 48A and 48B, screwed in the side frames, 3, they forward end of the lever 47 liXed to shift key, 47A. The vertical action of the rear member 45 being further controlled by a pair of bent arms, 49 and 50, riveted to 45 and guided on a pair of vertical posts, 51 and 52 fast in lower cross member, 4,v of the frame. The lower bent ends of arms, 49 and 50 provide the bearings for the pivots, 46 and 46A.

'It now remains tio-describe and illustrate my centrally located shift stops for paper carriage.

At the center length of the rear cross inember, 4, of the frame, is'provid-ed an upward widening, 4A, more clearly shown in rear elevation in F ig. 5, and in end elevation inFig.

7, thelatter in section through line A-A of Fig. 5, and in plan, Fig. 6. Adjustably attached by clamping screws, 53, and adpieting screw, 54', is provided a bent plate, 55, its

upper bent end, 55A, inthe pathcf a llshaped bent plate, 56, (Fig. l, 3 and 4), riveted fast to the rear member, 45, of the carriage. The upper bent end, of plate, 56, is provided with an adjusting` screw, 57D, with locking nut', the lower end of which screw contacts with upper surfacer55A of bent plate 55, forming an adjustablestop for the carriage in its lowest, or lower case stop position, as shown in Figure l. Vln the upper stop, or ligure shift position, the under side of the bent end, 55A of plate, 55 contacts with the upper side of lower bent end of plat-e 56, made'adjustable by screws, 5.4, secured by lock nut, 55B, (Figs. l and 2). ,1

Midway between the' above lower and upnper stop limits ofA the carriage, l provide a movable stop, 57 in the path ofthe lower bent end of plate 56. rlhis movable stop contacts at its upper edge with under side of bent end 55A of plate 55 aiidforms the register,

stop of carriage in its i'iiidway orcl )ital shift position, at which time it contacts Vat its lower edge with the iipper side of lower bent end of plate 56. A slot5'5E (Fig. 5) is provided in bent plate 55, through which this movable stop plays'withclearance It is moved out of the way, in shifting to upper or tigure shift position, by means ofa ligure shiftkey, 58, on front end of an offset Vbell crank lever,

' 59, piveted on stud, 60, fast in a bracket 691L fast to frame member 6.l The lower arm of the bell crank lever, 59, pivotally connected at 6l with long bent connectingrrod, 62, its

rear end pivotally'connectedto lever 57A at 57B, one end of which lever .is'pivot'ally connected at 57C on a stud fast in cross membe 4, of the frame, the other end integral with the movable stop, 57. Upon'depressing key 59 the stop, 57, is moved to the rear, out of llt) the Way, the continued depression of key 59 contacting with arm, 47, carrying the shift key 47A down to figure shift position.

The movable stop,57, is not removed from the path of 56 when registering the capital shift position (see Fig. For capital shift, merely the shift key, 47A is depressed. Pull spring 47B and a similar one for bell crank lever 29 return parts to normal on release of keys.

The utility and advantages of my several novel features Will be clear from the foregoing description of the construction and operation. By the combination of toggle joint leverage pressure nearly one half of the printing pressure required is noiseless, materially reducing the supplemental violence of theimpact, Without which combination with impact much more complicated and expensive mechanism is necesary to make succesful a pure toggle device both as to sufficient pressure and sufficient speed with sufficiently easy action.

Not only does my combination greatly simplify the Working parts for low cost production but makes possible the construction of a much smaller and lighter machine for portable use. Y

The value of my centrally located stops for registering the vertical shift positions of the carriage, the stops in lateral alignment with the printing point, is evident When it is considered that no elasticity or lost motion at either end of the carriage in any position of its travel can impair the absolute register of capitals with lower case or figures at the printing point.

With respect to the kick back rail in combination with the ledges of the bell crank levers pivotally connected to one end yof type bars, it is seen that practically nothing is added to initial resistance in starting the depresions of a key, While theprogressive resistance of the rail insures a very quick reresistance is offered to the initial depression of the keys, and spring means supporting said rail to restore the latter to position after impact by said shoulder to return said lever in the other direction.

2. A typewriting machine comprising an end thrust type bar, plate means supporting and guiding said bar, a pivotally supported bell crank lever having an end pivotally connected with saidbar, vertically spaced plates provided with aligned slots receiving and guiding said lever, operating means for effecting an impression ymovement of said lever, and means including a pivotal support and a yieldable element thereon in the path of and normally spaced from the lever for partially retarding the impression movement of said lever 'and for effecting return movement thereof, vsaid means being normally spaced from and in the path of the lever whereby the initial movement of the latter toward the printing point is unretarded by said means.

3. In a typewriting machine, a frame,'a horizontally disposed plate carried thereby having a series of radial slots therein, a series of vbell crank levers projecting throu h said slots vhaving their upper ends overlying the plate and their lower ends pivoted 4therebeneath, end thrust type bars pivotally connected with the upper ends of the levers and adapted to have av swinging and sliding movement upon said plate, a key lever operatively connected with each of the bell crank levers, a carriage having a platen located in yadvancevof the limit of movementr of said bars to afford impression of the typeby combined impact andtoggle pressure, a transverse bar pivoted upon'the frame, a spring normally holding said bar in a predetermined position and a rod secured to and projecting from said bar and normally spaced from and in the path of the bell crank levers to be engaged by the latter subsequent to initial operation thereof.

VLA typewriting machine comprising an end thrust type bar, toggle mechanism for actuating said bar, a platen located in advance of the-limit of movement of said bar by said mechanism to afford a combination of toggle pressure with impact speed and ease of operation, anV operating member, a connection between said operating member and toggle mechanism adapted to operate the latter and a yieldable member normally spacedk from said toggle mechanism and adapted to be engaged by the latter when moving to advance the type bar toward the platen adapted to partially retard the impression movement of the toggle and for effecting return movement thereof.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combinawith said key lever and with said bell cranklever to swingthe latter to effect impression movement of'sald bar and a yieldable member normally spaced from said bell c 'ank lever and adapted to be engaged bythe latter when moving to advance the type bar toward the platen for partially retarding the impression movement of said lever and for effecting return movement thereof.

6.A In a typewriting machine, the combination o Vanend thrust type bar, plate means supporting and guiding the type end ot' said bar, toggle mechanism pivotally connected With the other end of said bar, spaced guides, a support vertically shittable upon vsaid guides, a carriage on the support having a platen located in advance of the limit of movement of said type bar by said mechanism to afford a combination of toggle pressure With impact speed and ease of operati-on, stop means for limiting the shifting movement of v said support located opposite the impression point and between said guides, a key lever and a link pivotally connected with said lever and With said toggle mechanism to actuate the` type bar.

7. A typevvriting machine, comprising a frame, spaced guides upon the frame, a support yvertically kshiftable upon the guides, a

platen carriage vertically shiftablewith the support on saidV guides v:tor case selection,

' means for shifting said support and positive stops located on said traine betiveen'said guides and opposite the impression point for insuring accurate shift register of said jcarriage.

8. A typewriting machine, comprising` a frame, a support shiftablel vertically upon the frame and having a platen carriage thereon, a pair of connected levers pivoted upon the frame and extending transversely of the carriage and having their rear ends directly connected with the support to effect raising of the same, one of the levers being extended to the front of the machine to provide an operating member for raising the support, lined and movable stops for the support, manually operable means for shifting the movable stop to clear the support, an end thrust type bar having vertically spaced printing characters thereon, toggle mechanism for actuating said bar andal key lever Aoperatively connectedivith the toggle mechanism.

9. In a typewriting machine, a frame, a platen carriage having a platen thereon, a support for said carriage adjustable vertically to different positions upon the trame, a type bar having spaced printing characters ttor cooperation with the platen in different positions of adjustment thereof, l operating means for said type bar, fixed and adjustable stops for said support, a lever for raising the support When the adjustable stop ,is in operating position and means including a second lever adapted upon initial operation to shift the adjustable stop andto subsequently operate the iirst mentionedlever whereby to raise said support.

WVELLINGTON P. RIDDER. 

